The National Sexual Health Policy should be finalised in the coming weeks after seven years in gestation, Health Director General Ray Busuttil said.
Once published, the policy will provide the framework and overall direction of where Malta should be going on sexual health but not the strategy.
"We need to analyse the actual programmes and establish which ones worked abroad and which could be successful and adapted to Malta," Dr Busuttil said when contacted.
He said sexual health is one of the government's priorities and he plans to raise it with the new Administration to see how to proceed. The need for a policy based on the realities of Maltese society today has long been felt but, when a draft finally emerged, this was unanimously rejected by the Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention Committee as being too weak.
The latest Genitourinary Report once again highlighted the policy's absence in the light of a "worrying" trend of rampant, unprotected sex that was leading to an increase in most of the sexually transmitted infections.
Gonorrhoea, one such STI that can cause serious health problems including infertility and chronic pelvic pain, has more than doubled in one year (2006-2007), according to the GU Clinic's report.
Clinic chairman Philip Carabot pointed out that, according to World Health Organisation estimates, there was a potential of 13,000 new cases of STIs per year in Malta. "However, we only saw some 2,000 patients last year, so, obviously, the vast bulk is out there in the community.
Was the government concerned about the worrying trend?
"One is never happy to see rising trends. Ideally, we would like to see the trend go down. The increase could be the result of two things: it could be that people are becoming more promiscuous and not taking the necessary protection or they're being more vigilant and we are identifying more of them," Dr Busuttil said.
"Chances are that it's a bit of both. I have no doubt the campaigns geared at advocating safe sex, preferably having one partner and if not taking the necessary precautions, are working."
He felt people were aware of the implications overall but were the campaigns effective and was enough money being pumped into them?
"What is enough? In health, nothing is ever enough, so whatever you do you can always do more.
The main issue is not that people are not aware.
If you had to go around and ask people what they should be doing to prevent contracting an STI, chances are many will tell you to either abstain or use a condom or whatever," he replied.
Yet, how did Dr Busuttil explain that 64 per cent of young people aged 15-24 never used a condom and 28 per cent admitted to anal sex.
"I don't know. But this is a behaviour evident not just in sexual health but across the board. For example, people know the harm cigarettes cause but they still smoke; people know what causes high cholesterol but they still indulge in pastizzi and cream cakes," he said.
"The knowledge is there.
"However, what we, as health authorities across Europe have failed to do is transform knowledge into behavioural change. That's the crucial bit.
"We are exploring the best methods to instigate change.
"In other sectors, such as smoking, we created the environment by banning smoking in public places to try and stop people smoking.
"However, sexual behaviour is much more difficult because it's something very personal. But we are working on it."